A Normal Life
by smm
Summary: When Raven and Beast Boy are left alone for the holidays, emotions are running high. Will Raven be able to keep her emotions undercontrol when its just her and Beast Boy? RavenBB pairing More chapters coming in a few hours. Please read and review :
1. Home Alone

A Normal Life  
  
Author's note: Okay, I sooo hope this isn't over done, or even done before. I really hope this doesn't end up like "It's a Wonderful Life". (Of course, I really wouldn't know if it was like "It's a Wonderful Life" anyway because I've only seen a half hour of "It's a Wonderful Life") I know that comic Cyborg's dad is dead, but for the point of the story, he's not. I totally made up Snardiprf, and the darekop, but just sort of pretend that it's an alien Christmas. And, yes, there is Christmas mentioned, and talked about in the story, I hope it doesn't bother you. The reason I chose Christmas is simply because I'm a Christian, and it is a holiday, I know a lot about. There are mentions of things that happened in my other fan fic "You Win" so if you'd like a better understanding of this story, you may want to read that one first, though I think you should understand it just fine without reading "You Win" first. Oh, and one other thing, from the other reviews I've gotten on other stories, people have said they want my stories to be longer, so I am going to try really hard to make this past 6 chapters at least. So now, on with the show...  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing...  
  
Chapter 1 – "Home Alone"  
  
"Are you sure you and Raven will be okay by yourselves?" Robin asked Beast Boy. Starfire was listening to Robin talk to Beast Boy as she packed. She was incredibly excited. For the first time Robin and her were going on their own trip together. They were going to finally get the alone time that they both craved. Not only were they finally going to get to be alone, but she was taking Robin back to her home planet to meet her parents, and to celebrate Tameran's biggest holiday, Snardiprf. "Robin, I am packed. If we wish to get to Tameran before the ceremonial lighting of the darekop, we must leave." Starfire said as she shouldered her backpack. "All right Star, just give me one second to tell Beast Boy how to use the security system-" Robin began.  
"Dude! I know how to use the security system! I live here too, remember?! Not only do I know how to use the security system, but I also know how to use the microwave, the stove, and the washing machine!" Beast Boy said, quite annoyed that Robin was treating him like a baby.  
"Well what about the generator? Do you know how to use that?" Robin asked, full aware that Beast Boy didn't even know they had a generator, much less how to use it.  
"Of course I...don't," Beast Boy said, realizing what he'd asked, "We have a generator?"  
"Robin, Raven can show him how to use the 'generator', but we must leave! I do not wish to miss the lighting of the darekop. It is my favorite part of Snardiprf! Please, let us leave. Beast Boy and Raven will be fine by themselves!" Starfire pleaded.  
"Okay Star, lets go." Robin said, giving in to the beautiful alien girl. The wind was blowing hard as the three titans stepped outside in the cool December air. Robin was a little nervous. Not only because he was going to be meeting Starfire's parents but he was also worried that with this wind, they may not be able to take off. He couldn't bear to disappoint Starfire. Telling her "no" wasn't something he could do. Within moments though, as if he willed it, the wind died down. Starfire and himself boarded the former sub-turned rocket, and started the engines. As the two blasted off, Beast Boy whispered under his breath, "Finally, I thought he'd never leave." Beast Boy ran inside, and plopped himself down on the couch. 'This is the life' he thought to himself. With Star and Robin gone to visit Tameran, and Cyborg gone to spend the holidays with his father, it was just going to be him and Raven for two solid weeks. Just as Starfire had wanted alone time with Robin, Beast Boy had desperately wanted alone time with Raven. This was his chance to show her that he could be her kind of guy. When he originally realized his feelings for her. He was afraid. Afraid that if he got too close, that she would turn him down. He knew she wasn't allowed to feel, but it was so hard not to fall for her. She was just the kind of challenge he loved. And this was what he'd been waiting for. He was bound and determined to make this the best Christmas she'd ever had. 'She'll really die when she sees what I bought her.'  
  
"I'm going to die. There is no way I can spend 2 whole weeks alone with Beast Boy." Raven said to her reflection as she gazed into her full- length mirror. She was trembling slightly, terrified at the thought of the alone time with Beast Boy. 'Something will blow up for sure...I just hope it's not his head.' Raven hated knowing that she didn't have any control over a situation; it made her feel queasy inside. After that night in her room, the two had become closer. The nightmares of Beast Boy dieing had really rattled Raven. Having the real Beast Boy to hold that night was comforting in a way she'd never experienced, but as soon as he let go, hell broke loose in her head. He didn't know that as soon as he left her alone 2 light bulbs, a lamp, and her favorite porcelain figurine exploded. She could tell that he was feeling something for her, and she wanted desperately to feel it back, but she knew with her emotions in control of her powers, there was no hope for that. Her body ached for the need to be close to him, but the thought of embarrassing herself in front of him was more than she could bear. 'I'll be lucky if I can give him his Christmas present with out blowing something up.' She thought as she cracked her closet door to check on his gift. She really hoped he'd like it. Raven had thought long and hard about what to get him, and this was the thing that came to mind. 'Let's just hope he wants you.' She thought to the gift. "Raven?" a voice said. At the sound of her name, she screamed in surprise and slammed the closet shut. As if on cue, her mirror cracked. Raven whirled around to face the speaker. It was Beast Boy. He was wearing his usual smirk, and just looking at his smile was almost enough to make her weak in the knees. It was a smile that said, 'I've got it under control, I'm totally on top of it' she loved how sure he was of himself. It gave her a small sense of comfort that at least one of them was comfortable in this situation. "How long have you been standing there?!" Raven said, trying her best to sound angry. She must have sounded angry, because immediately his smile disappeared, and replaced itself with a slight frown. "Not long, I-I just came to tell you that everyone's left. I was wondering if you wanted something to eat, or something." Beast Boy offered, he sounded a little hurt that she'd gotten mad at him. "I-I don't think so Beast Boy...I'm not really hungry." Raven said losing the pretend anger in her voice.  
"Oh, okay, I was just making sure you didn't do without..." Beast Boy said as he turned away. It was obvious that she'd hurt his feelings by turning him down, but Raven was just too afraid that something would go wrong. How could she eat something when he would be sitting just a few feet away? The idea set her stomach into loops. She hated the thought that she'd hurt his feelings, but the farther she stayed away, the safer he would be. As she watched him go, she couldn't help but feel extremely guilty. She wanted to call him back, but suddenly, a light bulb exploded. As she looked at the light bulb she knew it was just a rather loud reminder that being with him would never work. 


	2. Exploding Furniture and Jimmy Stewart

A Normal Life  
  
Author's note: I hope you enjoyed Chapter one. I'm trying really hard to keep everyone in character. Hopefully, I'll get more into the plot with this chapter. I hope I'm going slow enough for those of you that wanted a longer story.  
  
Disclaimer: Like I said before "I own nothing"  
  
Chapter 2 – "Exploding Furniture and Jimmy Stewart"  
  
In the kitchen, Beast Boy was trying to eat his dinner, which interestingly enough, didn't have any tofu, or soy in it. He'd made a dinner for two, hoping to win Raven over. He never expected her to turn him down so quickly. He looked across the food he made; vegetarian lasagna, a fresh garden salad, and baked apples for dessert. He'd really pulled out the stops for her, and she didn't even want to come out of her room. He sat at the table with his chin in his hands. He looked at the single candle in the center of the table with disgust. 'What was I thinking?' Silently he smothered the flame with his fingers. 'Why would she want to eat dinner with me?' He asked himself as he sat in the dark.  
In her room, Raven was beginning to get hungry. 'I can't go down there now. He'd know I lied...but I'm starving.' Raven wrestled with her thoughts for a few moments more when her stomach settled the entire argument by growling. She started to leave her room, but before she left, she glanced back, unsure of herself. When she looked back, a picture caught her eye. It was the only picture she had of the entire team. They were all sitting on the couch. Beast Boy had been the one to set the timer, so in a last ditch effort to get on the couch before the picture was taken; he'd jumped into Raven's lap as a cat. The surprise she'd shown that day was recorded perfectly on film. Beast Boy, in cat form, was completely unphased by Raven's surprise. His cat face just looked directly into the camera, completely confident. She smiled a little at the memory, and turned off the light.  
As Raven made her way down the hallway, as she got closer to the kitchen, she could hear someone talking. As she got closer, she could make out actual words, "What was I thinking? I must have been stupid to think that I could win her over like this. Now what?" As the last comment was made, Raven had just got to the doorway of the darkened kitchen. She flicked on the light. Surprised at the food laid out on the table, she couldn't help but ask, "What's the occasion?" Beast Boy jumped as the light was turned on. The changeling turned to see Raven standing in the doorway. He was a little embarrassed. 'How much did she hear?' Still slightly stunned, he fumbled for words. "I-I...I made dinner, but you said you weren't hungry...so...I-"  
"You made dinner?" Raven asked, a little taken back at the thought that Beast Boy could cook. "Why?"  
"Well...it is Christmas Eve, and I thought you might be hungry...so I-I made dinner..." Beast Boy was terrified of what she'd say. He was afraid she'd take it wrong, and get mad.  
"That was...really sweet of you." Raven said. She was struggling to keep her emotions under control, but it wasn't every day that someone actually thought about her enough to make her a special dinner. "So, is it too late to eat with you, or have you already eaten?"  
"No, I haven't eaten yet...I didn't really want to start with out you...so I..." Beast Boy said stumbling. He was surprised that she seemed to like the idea of him cooking, but he was even more surprised that she still wanted to eat with him. She sat down, and she put a little vegetarian lasagna on her plate. "What's this?" She asked.  
"Its vegetarian lasagna. I hope you like it. Its one of my favorite foods."  
"I didn't think you ate anything except tofu, or soy." Raven replied.  
"There's actually a lot of good Vegan recipes out there, but since Cyborg doesn't hardly ever let me cook after that one breakfast with the tofu eggs, I hardly ever get to try them out. Vegetarian lasagna is my specialty though." Beast Boy said as he watched Raven take her first bite. He was relieved when she smiled and said, "This is really good." It was something Raven had planned on saying even if it had tasted horrible, but she was quite surprised when she realized that it tasted great. "Wait until you try the baked apples." Beast Boy said. 'Maybe tonight will turn out better than I thought.'  
The two began eating. Raven knew that he was watching her, but she was afraid to look at him. She was doing everything she could just to keep from blowing up her lasagna. After a few minutes of silence, she knew she was going to have to say something. "I didn't know you could cook so well."  
"Thanks. When I was 14, I had a job at a catering company. They thought my appearance was a little...how should I say this...Green. They thought I'd scare away customers, so I wasn't allowed to serve the food, so I had to cook. I learned all sorts of recipes from the senior chef, but I don't use some of them because it involves cooking meat." There was a long silence again...this wasn't going as well as Beast Boy had wanted. He really wanted to steer the conversation toward their relationship, but he couldn't think of anything to say, so he said the first thing that came into his mind. "Do you think that after this trip Robin and Starfire will get together?"  
Raven was little confused at why Beast Boy seemed to want to talk about someone else's relationship when their own relationship was in undefined territory, but she went along with it anyway. "I dunno. Maybe. I wish they'd just hurry it up. This charade of them pretending they don't care about each other is beginning to get on my nerves."  
"Yeah, you're right...if two people have feelings for each other...then they should say something..." Beast Boy said looking Raven square in the face. She knew exactly what he was referring to. He wanted to know how she felt, and this was the best time to do it. She could feel something welling up inside of her as she tried to speak, suddenly, that something found a way out. The overhead lamp exploded. "I'm sorry! I-I didn't meant to! I-you, it just..." Raven said, stumbling through her words. This was so embarrassing. "Its okay Raven. It was an accident. It happens." Beast Boy said. "So, what were you going to say?" Raven was put on the spot. She was terrified. What if something else blew up? There was only one way to avoid the question. "I...was going to ask if you wanted to watch a movie." Raven said, barely able to contain her powers. Beast Boy's face fell. It seemed she didn't like him at all. "Sure I guess."  
The two grabbed their baked apple desserts and took their place on the couch. Beast Boy began flipping through the channels...it seemed the only movie that was on was "It's a Wonderful Life". "Is this okay for you Raven? I know this isn't really your kind of movie" Beast Boy said. "Yeah, this is fine" Raven said. Beast Boy was actually wrong. This was exactly her kind of movie. She loved old movies, and "It's a Wonderful Life" was actually one of her favorites. She used to watch it every year. "I love old movies. Things are always so much simpler when they're in black and white." Beast Boy said. This confession really surprised Raven. She never really thought of him as the old movie type. After they'd finished their baked apples they were already about a half hour in, and Raven was getting a little tired. It was well past 11:00, and she was getting extremely tired. Being so tense while sitting next to Beast Boy was really taking a toll on her. Jimmy Stewart's face was beginning to blur as she closed her eyes. Unable to hold her head any longer, it fell to Beast Boy's shoulder. Suddenly she felt something touch her shoulder. Groggily, she realized that Beast Boy had put his arm around her shoulders. For some reason, nothing exploded, and nothing melted. It was like he wasn't even touching her, but he was. It was wonderful, like he was cradling her. It was almost like she didn't have powers at all, she could just be herself. Beast Boy hadn't even realized she was awake. He couldn't help but smile. This is what he wanted. Everything he could possibly want or need was lying in his arms with her head on his shoulder. Raven wanted more than anything to tell him just how she felt, it finally felt like the right time. She sat up and his arm slid off from around her shoulders as she turned to face him. Raven looked him straight in the eyes. She couldn't do it. What if something exploded? What if he didn't feel the same way? Beast Boy looked at the pale girl as the light from the TV glinted across her face in the dark. He'd never seen anyone so beautiful. Before he even thought about it, he began to lean toward her face, concentrating on her attractive lips. Raven could see him lean forward in the dark, and she knew what he was going to do. She wanted to stop it before she went to far and hurt him, but she couldn't, it was like he was pulling her to him. Moments before their lips touched, the cushion that Beast Boy had been sitting on exploded in a cloud of feathers, and Beast Boy was rocketed into the air. He landed behind the couch in a loud thud. "Oh my gosh! Are you okay?!" Raven asked him as she looked down at him from the back of the couch. "I think so..." He said rubbing his head. "I am so sorry." She said. "I-I have to go..." Raven jumped off the couch and ran to her room. 


	3. Wake Up Call

A Normal Life  
  
Author's notes: Was there enough BB/Rae - ness in the last chapter for you? Don't you just hate it when they're so close, but nothing happens? Yeah, me too, it makes you want to keep reading. Muhahaha...ahem, in case you were wondering, yes, I am evil. I'm finally getting into the plot! Now on to the next Chapter!  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothin'  
  
Chapter 3 – "Wake Up Call"  
  
'I hate this!' Raven screamed in her head as she threw her body on the bed. As soon as she hit the bed, something exploded. She didn't look to see what it was. "I'm so tired to living like this. It's so stupid. I wish I didn't have any powers at all. I wish-I wish I were like everyone else! I would give up everything, if I could just have one day when I didn't have my powers." Raven said. Tears overflowed her eyes, and she heard something else explode. That made her cry even harder, but eventually she fell asleep.  
The next morning, she felt someone shaking her. She kept her eyes closed and rolled over, 'Beast Boy, I don't want to talk about it.' She thought, not trusting herself to say it out loud. The person shaking her suddenly stopped shaking her and said "Raven, honey, you're going to have to get out of bed eventually, you can't hide from Becky forever." Raven was startled by the fact that the person speaking was a woman. Raven's eyes shot open, and she sat up instantly. She found herself staring into the face of a very beautiful black haired woman. "Who are you?" Raven said, completely terrified. "Honey, who do you think I am? I'm your mother, and as your mother, I'm telling you that you can't hide from your cousin Becky all day. It's Christmas, and no child of mine is going to sleep all the way through Christmas." The lady replied.  
"No, no you can't be my mother. My mother is back in Azarath." Suddenly, Raven looked at her room. It was completely pink. Raven looked back at the woman claiming to be her mother, and asked "What happened to my room, why is it pink?! What did you do?" Raven was terrified by this situation, and the woman claiming to be her mother was on the brink of tears. "Raven, what's wrong? We didn't do anything to your room. It's been the same shade of pink since you were 7. What is Azarath? Honey, are you feeling okay?"  
"Stop calling me that! You're not my mother." Raven said. 'What's going on here? Who is this woman?' Raven was on the edge of hysterics...but after a moment, a thought came to her, 'Maybe-maybe I should play along. Maybe this woman kidnapped me, thinking I was her daughter...or maybe I'm just going insane...either way, maybe I should just play along.' Raven looked at her 'Mother'; the woman was looking at her in such a concerned face, anyone that was watching could have easily thought the woman was her mother. Raven put on her best face, and tried to sound convincing. "I-I'm sorry mother, I shouldn't have spoken to you that way...I had a bad dream, I guess I hadn't realized I woke up. You're right I can't hide from Becky forever." The woman still looked a little confused, but took Raven's word for face value. "Are you sure you're feeling all right?" "Yes mother. I'm feeling wonderful." Raven said, and in a bizarre way, it was true. For some reason, Raven's head didn't feel like it usually did...she couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something missing. Suddenly she realized that she wasn't fighting with her emotions. It was like they were just there, sitting in her head. It was the most peculiar feeling. It was like she wasn't having to fighting to keep things in, it was like it just happened naturally. "All right, if you're sure you're feeling okay..." the mother said, still looking a little concerned. After a moment, the woman's concern disappeared and was replaced with a smile. "You should probably get dressed. Santa came last night," The mother said as she left the pink room. "Santa? Who believes in Santa anymore?" Even though Raven was slightly enjoying her missing emotions, she was still a little disturbed at the morning's events. 'Who was that woman? Who is this Becky person I'm hiding from? Where is Beast Boy?' she thought to herself. The last question was the one that plagued her most. Where was he? What if that woman had hurt him? Raven couldn't think long about it because she was expected downstairs, and if that woman had hurt Beast Boy, who knows what she would do? 


	4. Abnormally Normal

A Normal Life  
  
Author's note: Lost yet? I thought so. I promise, things will begin to clear up soon, just keep reading, and please review, especially if you think a specific chapter needs fixing up.  
  
Disclaimer: I own diddlysquat.  
  
Chapter 4 – "Abnormally Normal"  
  
Raven pulled back the covers and got out of bed, only to realize she wasn't wearing her usual pajamas. The pajamas she was wearing looked ridiculous. The pants were bright yellow with pink kittens. The shirt she was wearing was white with the words "Cute Kitten" written on it. 'Ew, I don't know who picked this crap out, but who ever it is needs some serious mental help.'  
Raven began walking over to the closet door to get out some decent clothes, but as she crossed the room, she happened to glimpse her reflection in the full-length mirror. What she saw made her jaw drop. She didn't look like herself. Her dark purple hair was gone, and in its place was normal shoulder length black hair. The red jewel that usually adorned her forehead was gone as well. Even her skin looked different. Instead of being its usual pale ivory, it was now a light tan. The girl in the mirror was completely normal looking (with the exception of the ridiculous pajamas). 'This cannot be happening! What happened to my face?' The only thing that hadn't changed about her were her eyes. As much as Raven wanted to think that the reflection wasn't hers, her eyes said it all. They were still her eyes looking back. In attempts to put the upsetting reflection out of her head, she went to the closet to get dressed. She was in for another surprise when she got there. The entire closet was filled to the brim with clothes only Starfire would wear. The closet was an array of bright rainbow colors. The majority of the clothes were pink, but there were a few reds and light purples in there as well. There was no way to escape, so she eventually settled on a deep crimson sweater that was made of a really soft material. Strangely, she actually liked the sweater. It was really comfortable and it complimented her should length black hair nicely. 'Beast Boy would have liked this.' She thought to herself. She was beginning to feel extremely homesick. She missed Beast Boy, and she was secretly wondering if he cared that she was gone. After the disaster last night, she doubted it. Raven looked once more at her reflection, took a deep breath and left the pink room.  
She was uneasy as she crept down the stairs, but she felt the only way to get out of this place and find Beast Boy was to play along. When she got to the bottom of the stairs she could hear several voices singing. She followed the sound down a small hallway. As she was following the sound, she paused once or twice to look at the pictures on the walls. They had several people she didn't recognize in them, but a few of them were pictures of herself, the woman claiming to be her mother, and a man. There were pictures of her at different ages too. 'This cannot be happening' she thought to herself again.  
Dragging her gaze from the pictures, she continued to follow the singing voices. When she finally located the voices, she was surprised at what she found. She'd come upon a room that looked like it'd just come out of a TV Christmas special. In the corner, being circled by a toy train, was a Christmas tree covered in ornaments. Underneath the tree, there were dozens of presents. On the opposite wall, there was a fireplace burning a log. Hanging from the fireplace's mantle, there were 3 stockings. From where she stood she could clearly make out the names on the stockings. From left to right, the stockings said "Dad", "Mom", and "Raven". Upon seeing her own name on a stocking, her eyes got a little larger.  
To the left of the fireplace there was a piano. Seated at the piano, there was the same man that had been in the picture of Raven and her "mother". The man at the piano was playing a slightly off key version of "Jingle Bells" for three people singing. One of the people singing was Raven's "mother", but Raven only recognized the other two people from the pictures. Standing to the left of her "mother" was a blonde woman in about her late 30's. Next to the blonde woman, was a man with salt and pepper hair that appeared to be in his mid 40's. No one had seemed to notice her arrival yet because the four adults were absorbed in their jovial singing.  
The adults weren't the only people in the room. On the floor, a little blonde girl of about 9 was busy shaking the presents. There was one other minor in the room, and he was sitting off by himself on the other side of the room. He was a boy of about 16, and he had his fingers in his ears. It was obvious that he didn't have a very high opinion of the people's singing. Raven stood in the doorway, completely astonished. This was always the way she'd pictured a normal family, but it was weird to see people that were so normal. These people looked as if they could have easily come straight out of some 50's TV sitcom. They were so normal, it was abnormal. 


	5. Pretty Packages

A Normal Life  
  
Author's note: So what do you think is going on? Was she kidnapped by an abnormally normal family? Is she dreaming? Is she living in an alternate reality? Is she just going nuts? Where is Beast Boy? What happened to her face? Why were those people so normal it was creepy? When will these questions end?!...I hope I haven't annoyed you too much with all these unanswered questions, but I promise, the answers will come, but for now, please enjoy the next chapter.  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing! There, I said it, now get off my back.  
  
Chapter 5 – "Pretty Packages"  
  
"Raven! You're finally here! We can start opening presents now!" her "mother" said, jarring Raven out of her disbelief.  
"Raven! Raven! Raven! You're here! Open this one! Open this one! It's from me!!" The little girl that was sitting on the floor said as she jumped up and handed Raven a box.  
"Um...sure." Raven said as she took the package from the little girl. She still wasn't entirely sure what was going on. Why were her kidnappers giving her presents? Why would a family kidnap her anyway? Why had her face looked so different? Why was it so easy to control her emotions? Where was Beast Boy? The questions were piling on top of each other and Raven was surprised at the fact that she did feel rushed for answers. For some reason, she didn't feel like she needed to know the answers. At the moment, she was just sort of wanted to enjoy being with a normal family. There was still something tugging at her brain though. She couldn't completely enjoy herself. She was secretly afraid that something had happened to Beast Boy. She was really wishing that he were here to enjoy this with her.  
"Open it! Open it!" the little girl pleaded as Raven began to open the poorly wrapped parcel. It was apparent that the girl had wrapped it herself. Raven had finally gotten all the paper off and had opened the box. She reached her hand into the ocean of tissue paper, and pulled out the gift. It was a little stuffed animal in the shape of a raven.  
"Do you like it?" The little blonde girl asked. Raven could feel herself choke up a bit. No one had ever thought of buying her something before, and it was clear that the little girl had given the gift some thought. "I love it," Raven choked out. She had an overwhelming urge to hug the little girl, but her instincts told her that something would probably blow up. Suddenly, as if the little girl read her mind, she hugged Raven around her neck. After what seemed like years, the woman that had been singing with her "mother" spoke up. "All right Becky, it's your turn."  
The small girl let go of Raven and ran to the Christmas tree. She picked up a rather large present wrapped in green paper. "Becky" held up the present like a trophy and said, "This one is from aunt Arella and Uncle Troy! I'm going to open this one first!"  
'Arella?! That's my real mother's name!' Raven thought as she looked at the woman that was pretending to be her mother. The more she looked at the woman, the more the woman resembled her actual mother. There were still differences though, her real mother had always looked much more tired than this woman. In Raven's head she'd always imagined that her mother would have probably looked a lot like this woman, had her mother not been constantly afraid of Trigon. In her mind she'd often wondered what it would have been like if her family would have been normal. Raven smiled as she thought 'It would have been just like this.'  
Meanwhile, Becky had ripped all the paper off of the colorfully wrapped present, to reveal a plastic dollhouse. The little girl squealed in joy. She ran to Raven's "parents" and hugged them both. "Thank you so much!! I love it! Daddy, will you put it together for me now!?" the little girl said. The man with the salt and pepper hair smiled and nodded, apparently pleased that his child was happy. As the little girl and the man began putting the dollhouse together, Raven's "mother" turned to the boy sitting across the room and said, "Brian, why don't you open a present?" Without a word, the boy got out of his chair, and pick up a very small present from underneath the tree. He opened the present quickly and pulled out a guitar pick, and piece of paper. He quickly read through the note and dashed out of the room. Raven was entirely confused. She was fairly new to the concept of gift receiving, but she was pretty sure that you were supposed to thank the person that gave you the present before you left the room. Suddenly, the boy returned carrying a green electric guitar. The boy promptly went to the blonde woman and kissed her on the cheek and said, "Thanks, Mom." Brian went back to his original seat, and began fiddling with his guitar. Raven's "mother" leaned over to the blonde woman and asked, "Angie, where did you find that guitar? Its gorgeous!"  
"Thanks. You wouldn't believe how long it took me to find it. I had to check 16 different shops, and I'd almost giving up hope, but then I found this cute little music shop that had just opened up on Main Street. The people in there were so helpful." The woman said. She continued on, but Raven had stopped listening. This was a real family. These were people that cared about each other. This was everything she'd been looking for, everything except, that she didn't have Beast Boy. Now that her emotions seemed under control, she wanted to share this with him more than ever. The cycle of opening presents continued. Raven had several more presents that she got to open, though none were as touching as the toy raven. For the most part they were cutesy t-shirts, and skirts, that would match anything in her closet. Raven pretended to enjoy these things, but only for the sake of the people's feelings. She was beginning to wonder if these people had really kidnapped her at all. She was beginning to wonder what really was going on. 


	6. Pancakes and Mishaps

A Normal Life  
  
Author's note: So have I confused you with all the names? I thought so. Here, I'll make it easy for you. Arella –Her "mother" Troy (the guy at the piano) – Her "father" Becky (the little girl) – Her "cousin" Brian (the guy with the guitar) – Her "cousin" (Becky's brother)  
  
Now you're all up to speed, just in case you were confused. Here's a fun fact: the name "Arella" means "Angel", so in the comic books, Raven's mother was an "Angel" and her father was a demon. Are the answers to all the questions coming in this chapter? You'll have to read and find out...  
  
Disclaimer: If you thought I owned something...you were wrong! I own nothing!  
  
Chapter 6 – "Pancakes and Mishaps"  
  
After opening the presents, Raven's "father" made pancakes. They were delicious. At breakfast, Raven realized why her "mother" had said that she was hiding from Becky. While Becky had seemed really sweet before, her enthusiasm was really tiring. The little girl kept talking and talking and talking. Raven was sure that the little girl was going to suffocate because it didn't seem like she ever paused to take a breath. Becky talked about anything, and everything. First she talked about how much she loved her dollhouse, then she told Raven all about her dolls. After telling Raven all about her dolls, she commenced in telling her all about her favorite cartoons, and why they were her favorites. Raven had been zoning out for a while, but the little girl caught her attention when she mentioned the family's yearly trip to the park. "What did you say?" Raven asked.  
"I said that I can't wait until we go to the park, and go ice skating. You promised to teach me how to skate this year remember?" Becky said  
"Yeah, yeah. I remember." Raven said, a little worried. She didn't know how to ice skate, how was she supposed to teach someone else? 'Well, I suppose I can always levitate close to the ice to make it look like I'm skating.' She thought.  
"While we're there, we've got to get our picture made in front of the skating angels statue." Becky said stuffing pancakes into her mouth.  
"Why?" Raven asked  
The little blonde girl stopped chewing and looked at her. Suddenly, her face looked a little hurt. Then she said, "Well, we get our picture there every year...I just thought that we'd get it done again."  
Raven realized she messed up. "Oh, yeah, sorry. I guess I forgot for a second there, yeah, I can't wait either." She said hurriedly, in hopes to make up for her obvious mistake. The words instantly made the little girl's face change back to a smile. 'That was close. I've got to be careful. I don't know these people, they're not my family...no matter how much I wish they were.' Raven thought. 


	7. Not So Perfect

A Normal Life  
  
Author's note: Woo-Hoo! I made it past 6 chapters! How am I doing so far? Are you missing BB yet? I am, but it'll be a couple of chapters before we hear anything about him. This chapter will probably be pretty short though, so enjoy. I've been thinking of removing this chapter, tell me what you think. By the way, be prepared for some harsh language in this chapter.  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing...still.  
  
Chapter 7 – "Not So Perfect"  
  
Breakfast had long since been cleared away, and everyone was getting ready to go ice-skating. Raven had been in her room putting on a few more layers, when she heard someone pounding up the stairs. She turned to look just as her "father" came bursting into the room. "Damn it Raven! What did I tell you!?" he screamed. He was furious, and Raven had no idea why. "What did I tell you?!" He repeated.  
Flailing for an answer, Raven could only say, "I don't know...sir. What are you talking about?"  
"Don't play dumb with me! I told you, you couldn't see that boy anymore!" "What 'boy'...sir?" Raven was a little scared. This couldn't possibly be the jovial man that played the piano and made pancakes. "I said don't play dumb! He just called up here and asked if you could go out with him today!" Her "father" said as he grabbed Raven hard by the arm. He was really squeezing her hard, and it was really starting to hurt. "I don't know what you mean! I don't know what 'boy' you're talking about!" Raven said wincing in pain as his grip became harder. "Don't smart mouth me girl! I know you disobeyed me, and there's no one to protect you now." He said as he raised his hand as if he was going to hit her. Suddenly, Arella caught his arm as he was just about to hit Raven. Neither Raven nor Troy had seen her come in. Still holding Troy's arm, Arella said, "Don't, it's Christmas-" She was about to say more, but Raven's "father" threw her like a rag doll across the room. "You can't keep protecting her Arella! She's got to own up to her own mistakes." Troy said as he raised his arm to hit Raven. "I'm sorry!" Raven shouted, in hopes that he would let her go. Troy's only response was "Sorry won't help you now." As his arm began its decent toward her face, Raven whispered three words. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos." Nothing happened. Shocked, Raven could do nothing but wait for her "father's" hand to make contact.  
  
When she came to, she could see Arella leaning over her. Raven was still shocked that the man had hit her. It didn't seem possible that he could have been so horrible. "Come on honey. You need to hurry and get up. You don't want your father to get mad because you were late for ice-skating. Raven began getting off the floor. As she did, her "mother" continued talking. "I told you that you should have stopped seeing that boy. At the very least, you should have told him not to call the house." Deciding to play along, she said "Yes, mother. I should have told him." As Raven finished getting ready, she thought about what had happened. Why hadn't her powers worked? They'd never failed her before. The more she thought about it, she still couldn't figure out why her powers didn't work. Now more than ever, Raven felt that the only way she was ever going to get back to the tower was if she played along with these people's charade. Her powers had been her back up plan. The whole time she'd been here, she'd always thought that if she really needed to, she could have escaped using her powers, but now she was afraid that an escape might not happen. "There's always Beast Boy...maybe he'll come rescue me..." She said under her breath. But even as she said it she had a nagging feeling that no one was coming for her. 


	8. Ice Skating and Old Friends

A Normal Life  
  
Author's note: So, what did you think of the last chapter? Exciting? I hope it was at least a little interesting, and hopefully I surprised you a little by having her powers not working. Enjoy...  
  
Disclaimer: I own zilch  
  
Chapter 8 – "Ice Skating and Old Friends"  
  
Becky was dragging Raven by her hand through the park toward the ice skating rink. "Come on Raven! I want you to teach me to skate!!" Raven wasn't walking as fast as she could. She was trying to stall the little girl a little bit while she thought of a plan. 'I don't know the first thing about ice-skating! How am I supposed to teach her? At least when my powers were working, I could have made it look like I was skating, but now what?' Raven and Becky were the first to get to the rink. Raven's "parents" and the rest of Becky's family were still catching up. As much as Raven didn't want to skate, she wanted to stay away from her "father" even more. He hadn't said anything since they'd left the house. While he seemed like nothing was wrong, Raven could see he was still mad at her. 'He's pretending for the rest of the family. I've got a feeling, I'm going to get a beating tonight...' Raven thought to herself as she sat down and began slowly putting her skates on. "Hurry up, Raven!! I want to learn to skate!" Becky said in attempts to rush her cousin. Raven knew she was only delaying the inevitable. She finally got her skates on, and slowly made her way to the edge of the ice. She put one foot on the ice, and fell flat on her back. "Raven?! Are you okay?" The little girl asked.  
"Yeah, I think so Becky." Raven said as she attempted to stand up. As soon as she got back on her feet, she fell back on her butt. 'There is no way I can pull this off.' Raven's "mother" saw her fall the second time, and rushed over to her. "Are you okay, sweetie?" She asked.  
"I think so Mother." Raven replied.  
"I don't know honey, you look a little pale. Maybe you should go sit with Brian." Brian was sitting off on a bench watching everyone skate. "Yeah, maybe you're right, Mother. I think I will..." Raven said as her "mother" helped her to solid ground.  
"But Raven! You promised me!" Becky started, but a stern look from Arella shut her up quickly. "I'll teach you how to skate, Becky." Arella said, "I think Raven needs to take a break." Becky must have realized she was on thin ice (no pun intended) with Arella, because she didn't make a fuss.  
Raven made her way over to the bench, and sat next to Brian. "Hey" Brian said never breaking his stare from the skaters. Up close, Brian looked a lot like Beast Boy minus the green skin and pointy ears. "Hey" Raven replied back. She wondered what he was thinking.  
After a moment or two, he said, "So what's wrong with you today? You're usually Miss Princess Sunshine skating around out there."  
Raven was afraid to say anything. She wasn't sure how to respond to someone who said that she was "usually" something. 'How would he know if I was "usually" anything? This guy doesn't know me at all. It's not like I'm actually apart of his family or anything." But somehow, Raven had a feeling that she was apart of this family. She felt almost, as if in another place...another time, she was. 'I've got to be dreaming.' She thought. 'Please wake up. Please-' Raven looked at her "cousin", it was clear he was waiting for an answer.  
"I guess I'm just not feeling so good today..." Raven replied, looking away from him. He suddenly put his arm around her, causing her to look back at him. "You're dad hit you again didn't he?" Brian asked. Raven was surprised that this boy seemed to know her so well. She couldn't answer him; all she could do was nod. The boy held her tighter, and smiled. All he said was, "It's going to be okay. I've got it under control." This seemed so familiar to Raven. If she just closed her eyes, she could have completely believed that it was really Beast Boy holding her. If she just closed her eyes, she could have easily believed that it was Beast Boy saying that it'd be okay. Raven looked up as her "cousin." He was watching the skaters, and wearing a familiar smirk. A smirk that said, 'I've got it under control, I'm totally on top of it'. Looking at his smile made her desperately wish he were Beast Boy. If he was Beast Boy, she could have easily believed that everything would be okay.  
They sat on the bench for easily a half hour. With Brian's arm around her, Raven wasn't even cold. She was staring out across the rink, not really watching the skaters. She was off in thought, terrified that she may never see Beast Boy again. Suddenly, she saw a familiar face. It was Starfire...and Robin was with her. They were at the hot chocolate stand. Seeing them made Raven's spirits soar. Finally, someone that could help her. She turned to Brian, and said "I see a few friends of mine, I'm going to go talk to them. I'll be back in a minute." Brian just nodded, and continued to watch the skaters. Slightly surprised that she escaped so easily, she ran over to Starfire and Robin.  
"Starfire! Robin!" Raven shouted. The two teens turn to see who was calling them. When they saw Raven though, they didn't seem to recognize her. A little confused at first, Raven realized that they must not have recognized her because of her altered appearance. "It's me, Raven." She said. Starfire and Robin still didn't seem to recognize their friend. "It's nice to meet you...Raven was it?" Robin said as he put out his hand to shake.  
"Nice to meet me? What are you talking about? Robin, it's me, Raven. Don't you know me?"  
"No, I think you might have me confused with someone else. I've never seen you before in my life." Robin said.  
"You've got to be kidding me. I'm a Teen Titan." Raven said, feeling a little panicky, she turned to Starfire, "Tell him Starfire. You know me, don't you?"  
"I am sorry, but I do not know you. Maybe Robin is right. Maybe you are 'confused'." Starfire said. Raven was in a full-blown panic by now. How could they not know her? They were her friends. Frantically thinking of some way to prove herself, she said, "Where's Cyborg? He'll tell you, he knows me." Suddenly, Raven heard a voice from behind her. "Who do I know?" It was Cyborg.  
"Cyborg, tell them. You know who I am. I'm Raven. You know me, right?" Raven said.  
"Um...I don't think I know you. Can you tell me where we met?"  
"Where we met?! We met on the Teen Titans! We're team mates!" Raven said, amazed that none of her friends seemed to know her. It was then that she realized something strange. "Why are you three here?" Raven said. Turning to Starfire and Robin, she asked, "I thought you two went back to Tameran to meet Starfire's parents." Then turning to Cyborg, she said, "I thought you went to visit your dad..."  
The rest of the Titans continued to look at her with puzzled stares. 'Why don't they know me?! Someone has to know me...Beast Boy! He'll know me.' A small light of hope burned within her, Beast Boy would convince them. "Where is Beast Boy?! He'll tell you. I know he knows me!" Raven said, looking around for her green friend. When she looked back at the Titans, she was surprised at the looks they were giving her. Robin looked extremely mad, and Starfire looked on the brink of tears. "How dare you bring Beast Boy into this pathetic prank." Robin said angrily.  
"Prank?! What are you talking about? Where is Beast Boy?" Raven said, getting more confused by the minute.  
"I am sorry, but you must be mistaken if you know Beast Boy." Starfire said.  
"What do you mean?" Raven said, confused.  
"Beast Boy is dead." Starfire explained as a single tear slid down her cheek. Raven felt as if she'd been punched in the stomach. She was speechless. she couldn't even say anything as the three heroes walked away. 


	9. An Angelic Explanation

A Normal Life  
  
Author's Notes: Did I throw you a curve ball on that last chapter? I thought so. I hope you enjoyed the last chapter. I hope it wasn't too drawn out, or boring. Anyway, please continue to review as you continue reading into the next chapter. Oh, and I promise everything will start to make sense in this chapter.  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing  
  
Chapter 9 – "An Angelic Explanation"  
  
Dead. Dead. Dead. The word kept echoing in her head. She never got to tell him how she felt. She'd had nightmares about him dieing before, but not this time...this time, this was real. She felt sick, she needed to sit down. The only place to sit nearby was the steps next to the statue of the skating angels. Raven stumbled over to the statue's steps and sat down. 'This has been the worst day of my life...and the worst part is that I still have no idea what is going on. I saw Beast Boy just yesterday, how can he be dead? How can this be happening? How I did I end up with those people? Why do I look different? Why aren't my powers working? Why?'  
"I can tell you 'Why'." Someone said. Raven looked up to see Brian coming to sit down next to her. Raven was a little confused. She hadn't voiced her thoughts...had she?  
"No, you didn't say anything. I read your mind." Brian said, his smile once again mimicking Beast Boy's. Raven started to ask how he could read her mind, but before she said anything, Brian answered, "I'm an angel, that's why I can read your mind."  
"An angel?" Raven was a little taken back. She didn't really believe in angels, and Brian certainly didn't look like an angel. He looked like a regular guy, sort of like Beast Boy, but minus the green skin. "You've got to be kidding me. You don't really expect me to believe that you're an angel, do you?"  
"You don't have to believe me. Regardless of whether you believe or not doesn't affect the fact that I exist. Besides, I know you believe me. Right now, you'd believe just about anything to get Beast Boy back." The angel replied. He was right, Raven knew he was. She wanted to believe that he was an angel, she wanted to think that he could bring Beast Boy back and fix all of this. "If you are an angel, prove it. Bring Beast Boy back."  
The angel sighed at her request, "Things don't work like that. This happened for a reason. Everything that happened today, happened for a reason." he replied.  
"Stop speaking in riddles. Why is this happening? Last night, before I went to sleep, I was Teen Titan. Last night, I was the daughter of a demon. Last night, Beast Boy was alive. Why is it that I woke up this morning, and I'm suddenly powerless? Why is it that I now have regular parents, and a regular life?" Raven asked, getting annoyed at the angel's attitude.  
"Last night, you said that you wished that you were like everyone else. You said you'd give up everything, if you could just have one day when you didn't have your powers. I granted your wish. This is what your life would have been like if you would have been born normal. This would be your life with out your powers. This is what your life would be like if you were just like everyone else." The angel explained. Raven was shocked. Suddenly everything was clicking into place. It was completely impossible, but it made sense. It now made sense why she had baby pictures on the walls of the people's house. It now made sense why the people seemed to think that she lived with them. It now made sense as to why she looked different. It made sense that her mother looked different. Something didn't click though. "What about Beast Boy," she asked, "Why did he die?"  
"He died because you weren't there to save him. You may have never realized it, but he depends on you as his back up plan. In your other life, he always knew that even when things were really bad, he could count on you to help him." Brian said. Hearing this struck a nerve with Raven. 'This can't be real! I want to wake up.'  
"Really Raven?" he said, reading her mind, "I thought this was everything you ever wanted. You finally have a family that loves you. Now you don't have to worry about things exploding, or fighting monsters. You can be normal. You can go to school, and meet boys, and have a regular life." The angel said. His words began to sink in. It had been nice to be loved by a real family. It was nice to be able to hug someone without being afraid that something was going to explode, or that she was going to hurt them. It was nice not to have to meditate for hours on end, and it was nice to be able to do things with a real family. But even though those things were nice, were they really worth the loss of Beast Boy? Was this life worth losing her place as a Teen Titan?  
"Raven," Brian said, breaking into Raven's thoughts. "You have a choice to make. I can make this life permanent. I can make you completely normal, or I can return you to your old life. However, if you choose this life, you won't have any recollection of your former life. You will have all the memories that go with this life. You won't remember being a Teen Titan, you won't remember Beast Boy...you won't even remember what it was like to have your powers."  
Raven thought for a moment, allowing for his words to sink in. Her mind was easily made up. She knew which life she wanted. 


	10. A Normal Life

A Normal Life  
  
Author's Note: Are you dieing to know which life she picked? Well I hope so. Go ahead, and read on, I'll try not to keep you by sitting here and talking. By the way, this is the last Chapter. I hope you enjoyed the ride. Please don't forget to review. Thanks for sticking with me this far.  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
  
Chapter 10 – "A Normal Life"  
  
The next morning, Raven felt someone shaking her. She kept her eyes closed and rolled over, 'Mother, I don't want to talk about it. Just let me sleep for a few more minutes' She thought, not trusting herself to say it out loud. The person shaking her suddenly stopped shaking her and said "Come on Raven, it's Christmas, you're going to have to get out of bed eventually." Raven was startled by the fact that the person speaking was a male. Raven's eyes shot open, and she sat up instantly. She found her staring into the face of someone very green. "Beast Boy!" she squealed as she hugged him tightly around his neck. She heard something in her room explode, but she ignored it. "Raven? What's all this about?" Beast Boy asked, naturally confused at why she was hugging him. "I'm just happy to see you." She said as let go of him to look him in the face. Raven could tell he was still a little confused, but he just smiled at her. "Come on," he said, "It's Christmas, and I've got something to show you." They made their way to the living room. Upon reaching the living room, Raven was rendered speechless at what she saw. The entire room had been decorated in beautiful Christmas decorations. In one corner, there was a Christmas tree, and nearby, there were two stockings hanging on the wall filled with candy. From where she stood, she could clearly see the names "Beast Boy" and "Raven" on them. There was holly wreaths and mistletoe on the doors and walls, and there were presents under the tree. Raven turned to face Beast Boy, she was about to thank him, but before she could say anything, he smiled at her and grabbed her hand. "I've got something for you" he said as he pulled her over to the tree. He reached under the tree and pulled out a small box. He handed her the box, but she was a little hesitant in opening it. "Go on, open it. I promise it won't bite." He said. Tentatively she began opening it. Inside the box was the most beautiful silver necklace she'd ever seen. It had a delicate chain that was hardly much bigger than a hair. The most beautiful thing about it though was the charm. The charm was in the shape of a raven in flight. It was gorgeous.  
She hadn't said anything for a moment, and Beast Boy was a little afraid she didn't like it. Suddenly, she looked up from his gift and into his eyes. Her eyes had small tears hanging to their surface as she handed the necklace to him so he could put it on her. She turned around and he fastened the tiny necklace around her neck. She turned to face him. Before he even thought about it, he began to lean toward her face, concentrating on her attractive lips. Raven could see him lean forward in the morning light, and she knew what he was going to do. She didn't want to stop him, it was like he was pulling her to him. But moments before their lips touched, Raven turned and ran upstairs. 'Was it something I said?' Beast Boy thought. After a minute or two, Raven came back. She was holding a rather large package. It was a brown box with a few holes in the top of it. "Sorry about running out on you, but I just remembered your present, and I realized that you better open it before it gets cranky." Raven said as she put the box down in front of him. He was obviously confused. 'Before it gets cranky?' He gave Raven a quizzical look, but all she said was "Open it. Though, I can't promise it won't bite." Beast Boy leaned down and began opening the box. He was quite surprised at what he found inside. In the box was a little black kitten. Beast Boy smiled warmly and picked up the kitten. Holding the kitten in his arms, he looked at Raven. "What should I name her?" Raven thought for a moment, and said "How about Becky?" The kitten meowed and licked Beast Boy on the nose. "I guess it's unanimous. You're name is Becky." Beast Boy said smiling at that cat. The morning was passing by at the speed of light. Beast Boy made vegan pancakes that were better than her "father's" had ever been. They stuffed themselves until neither of them could eat another bite and then together walked over to the picture window. They looked out at the peaceful bay, and stood there in silence. Raven was uneasy, she was still afraid that her powers wouldn't be controllable with him this close. The room was hushed and the quiet enveloped them. After several minutes, it was Beast Boy that finally broke the silence. "Raven, can I ask you a personal question?" "I guess..." she replied, afraid of what he was going to ask. "If you could be just like everyone else, would you? Would you give up being a Teen Titan to have a normal life?"  
She smiled at the question, "Are you asking if I would give you up to be normal?" Not trusting himself to speak, he nodded. She smiled and said, "Beast Boy, even if I was offered the world, I'd still be here with you."  
Slowly he leaned forward for the second time that day. She knew what he was going to do, and she didn't want anything to stop it. She was desperately trying to keep her emotions under control as his lips lightly caressed hers. After a few minutes, they slowly pulled out of the kiss to look each other in the face. They both smiled slightly. Raven was dizzy with the idea that nothing had exploded and her powers seemed completely under control. Under control that is until Beast Boy spoke. "Raven?"  
"Yes?" She said, never looking away from his face.  
"Could you, um, put us down?" Beast Boy said, trying to restrain a giggle. Raven suddenly realized that they were levitating four feet off the ground. After considering this for a moment, she simply replied, "In a minute." as they leaned forward for another kiss.  
  
The End  
  
After Notes: What did you think? Not too out of character I hope. I really hope that this whole story wasn't too confusing. And if you review, could you please tell me what you think about Troy hitting her? I was really debating whether or not to leave it in. 


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